‘We know why Pride exists’: OUTSaskatoon gearing up for Pride week following crosswalk incident

A man shouting at volunteers and attempting to interfere with the painting of a Pride crosswalk in Saskatoon earlier this week is why OUTSaskatoon says Pride celebrations must continue.

OUTSaskatoon’s co-interim director Amanda Guthrie said volunteers attending these sorts of events come prepared for the potential of discrimination every year.

“I was really, really upset,” she said. “Not again. Another instance of this happening, especially seeing the video and the behaviour was just atrocious, appalling and really inexcusable.”

Officers responded to Broadway Avenue and 10th Street East at around 9 p.m., “to a call of a disturbance,” according to a police media release.

A man began aggressively shouting at people painting the crosswalk before he tried to remove road barricades in a scene captured on video and posted on social media platforms.

A 71-year-old man from Quill Lake was charged with causing a disturbance. He was released on an appearance notice and is expected to appear in court on Nov. 24.

Guthrie said it’s sad when volunteers not only show up to these events prepared to deescalate a potentially violent situation but that they have to use those skills.

“In some cases that is the minority or the marginalized experience. It just becomes engrained within you as someone who experiences oppression or a lack of privilege that you might experience discrimination today,” she said.

“These simple basic acts in public are seen to be a threat or visible sign of difference, and for some people, they feel that justifies violence.”

With Pride celebrations happening across the province throughout June, Guthrie said Wednesday’s scene shouldn’t “cast a shadow” over the rest of the celebrations taking place.

“There’s still so much to be excited for,” she said. “This can’t overshadow that.”

“We know why Pride exists.”

Acting as OUTSaskatoon’s education manager, Guthrie spends plenty of time broadening people’s understanding of 2SLGBTQ issues.

“We need and we deserve to take up space and we shouldn’t experience violence and repercussions when we do,” she said.

With Saskatoon’s Pride week beginning Monday, Gurthie has been busy planning sessions and workshops discussing anti-racism and white supremacy, “de-centring whiteness.”

There are also a variety of events like a gender-diverse pride mixer leading up to Pride Saskatoon’s virtual Pride parade on June 19.